Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

the-usual-suspects

noun

/ðə ˈjuːʒuəl ˈsʌspɛkts/

Definition

A term used to refer to a group of people who are frequently associated with a particular crime, activity, or situation.

Examples

Whenever something goes wrong at the office, we always end up blaming the usual suspects.
The police arrested the usual suspects in the neighborhood after the recent thefts.
In every investigation, the usual suspects seem to appear time and again.

Meaning

Typically implies that the same individuals or entities are involved in a certain type of behavior or incident. The phrase originated from the title of a popular film, where it highlighted the idea of familiar characters being suspected of wrongdoing.